Haevey d



(No Model.)

H.D. PALMER.

FIFTH WHEEL. No. 265,429. Patented Oct. 3', 1882.

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I I .lllllll IQIIIIIII II I I rte HARVEY D. PALMER, OF LA PORTE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDIVARD L. GARWOOD, OF SAME PLACE.

FIFTH-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 265,429, dated October 3, 1882.

Application filed February 28, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom tt may concern Be it known that I, HARVEY D. PALMER, a citizenof the United States of America, residing at La Porte, in the county of La Porte and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FifthrWheel Platforms and Oscillators forVehicles,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in ii I'th-wheel platforms and oscillators for wagons and other vehicles; and the object of my invention is to improve on the manner heretofore employed of constructing platforms and oscillators for wagons and other vehicles, and

1 to secure a platform and oscillator which will have strength and durability combined with lightness and simplicity.

My invention consists in and my objects are obtained by the construction, arrangement,

and combination, as illustrated and set forth in the accompanying drawings and as hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved platform; Fig. 2, a front eleva- 2 tion; Fig. 3, a side elevation; Fig. 4, a bottom plan view of the same. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are detailed views, hereinafter particularly referred to and described.

In the drawings similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

' A A represent the side pieces or futchells; B, the rear head-block; B B, the front headblocks. (J is the center piece. D is the fifthwheel and oscillator.

The side pieces, A A, are composed of two fiat bars, a and a, bent as shown in Fig. 5, and secured together at c by rivets or otherwise, and connected by a brace, I). The bars a 40 a, at the front end, run parallel with and are bolted on each side of the front head-block, B, the point e where the bar a joins said headblock being at the end, while the point e where it joins said block is at or near the center of the length of the said head-block. By this arrangement the head-blocks B are firmly braced. The side bars, A A, are secured on the side of the center-piece O, with the right-an gling end 0 against the rear head-block, B.

E is a cap, of malleable iron or other suitable material, and provided with an 0pening,f, for the center piece, 0. The cap fits over the head-block B and right-angled ends 0 c of bars A A. The fifth-wheel D is secured to the side bars, A, by a device shown in Fig. 7, which consistsof a piece, 1', provided with a book, 1", which hooks over the bottom of the bar a and is tapped out to receive a screw or bolt, d, the head of which is countersunk in D.

F is the cross-bar of the fifth-wheel, provided with the wings h, and secured to the platform in the ordinary manner by the king-bolt k.

n and a n are oscillating hearings, to which sills of the vehicle are attached. Those designated n. n arejournaled on the ends of the cross-bar F, which project beyond the wings h for this purpose, while the one a is hinged directly over the king-bolt 70, between the lugs 0 and 0, on the cross-bar F. By this arrangement the weight of the vehicle is distributed more evenly over the platform, and having a bearing, a, directly over the king-bolt, the fifth-wheel is prevented from being sagged down when partly turned, as is the case with devices heretofore in use.

It R are the truss-rods running underneath from B B to B. The front ends of R R are passed up through the front head-blocks, B B, and me secured by nuts or otherwise, the ends being threaded. The rods It R extend over the supports 8 s, secured to the center piece, 0, and are passed through the cap E, right-angle piece 0, and head-block B, and the ends secured by nuts or otherwise. 1

s s are supports secured to O for the purpose of supporting rods-R It, so that the truss-rods will have a bearing on each side of the kingbolt.

The several rods and pieces or bars are of the shape and angles as shown in the drawlugs.

Having described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Pat-- cut, is v 1. In a platform-wagon or other vehicle, the 5 combination of the fit'thwheel D, the piece 1", provided with hook 1", boltd, and bar a, substantially as described and shown.

2. In a platform-wagon or other vehicle, the oscillating bearing a, hinged to the crossbar I00 F directly over the king-bolt k and between the lugs 0 and 0, whereby the fifth-wheel is prevented from sagging, substantially as described and shown.

3. In a platform-wagon or other vehicle, a fifth-wheel having a cross-bar with oscillating bearings journaled on its ends beyond the wings of the cross-bar, and an oscillating bearing directly over the king-bolt, substantially as described and shown, and for the purpose set forth.

4. In aplatfornl-wagon, the futchells A,coinposed of the bent pieces a a, connected at e, and provided with brace b and angle 0, substantially as shown and described.

In a platform-wagon, the combination, with the head-blocks B B B and center piece, 0, of li'utchells composed of the bars a a, formed and connected substantially as shown and described.

6. In a platform-wagon, the combination, with the rear head-block, B, and center piece, G, of the cap E, having opening f, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7. In a platform-wagon, the combination of the head-blocks B B, center piece, 0, having supports .9 s, the futchell-bars a a, cap E, and truss-rods It R, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARVEY D. PALMER.

\Vitnesses:

MORTIMER NYE, -WILLIAM H. FRENCH. 

